In match play golf, "4&3" means that one player or team is 4 holes ahead with only 3 holes left to play. Because the opponent cannot catch up with fewer holes remaining than the lead, the match ends at that point, and the player or team leading by 4 holes wins the match.
Explanation of Match Play Scoring
- In match play, the competition is hole-by-hole rather than total strokes over the round.
- Each hole is a separate contest, and winning a hole means going "1 up," losing means going "1 down," and tying a hole is called "halving" it.
- The match ends early if a player is ahead by more holes than remain, like 4&3 means 4 up with 3 holes to play — the lead is insurmountable.
This scoring method emphasizes winning individual holes rather than accumulating the lowest total strokes, making every hole a fresh contest.